Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mr. Chester Milam, a notable citizen of Knoxville, Tennessee as well as a distinguished man in my home area of Oakland County, Michigan. Mr. Milam has owned and maintained Wendell's Barber Shop in Lathrup Village for the past 47 years and has recently announced he's retiring.

Mr. Milam has committed professionally to serve a loyal group of Oakland county customers, including me, for 37 years. He has played a significant role in our community, serving politicians, civic leaders, sports figures from the Detroit Red Wings, the Lions, and the Tigers, and not to mention people from every level of the community.

For the last nine years, Mr. Milam has driven 1,200 miles round trip, returning to Michigan from his home in Tennessee, one week per month to continue the loyal service to his community. Not only has he taken great pride in his business, he has taken great pride in his customers, providing his own personal touch and great stories.

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate Mr. Chester Milam on his retirement and his many years of dedication to serving the people of Oakland County, Michigan and extend our best wishes.

Mr. Speaker, on March 29, 2004 and the morning of March 30, 2004, I was unavoidably absent and missed rollcall Vote Nos. 94, 95, and 96. For the record, had I been present, I would have voted: Rollcall Vote No. 94--``Yea''; rollcall Vote No. 95--``Yea''; rollcall Vote No. 96--``Yea.''

Mr. Speaker, today I am honored to pay tribute to the Cranbrook Educational Community, which celebrates its centennial year in 2004.

On January 18, 1904, George and Ellen Booth bought a run-down farm in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, for a vacation site and possible home for their family. In 1922, the Booths and local parents joined together to form a school for neighborhood children that would become one of the world's leading centers for art and education.

Cranbrook grew into that leading center because George and Ellen Booth were committed to personal growth and community service through art, architecture, science, and education. George Booth described this commitment at the dedication of Cranbrook School in 1927 when he said:

``We were unwilling to go through life with our aims centered mainly in the pursuit of wealth and with a devotion wholly to the ordinary opportunity for social satisfaction. We were not willing to leave all of the more enduring joys for our children or the joy of work in so good a cause entirely to our friends after we had passed on; rather did we wish, in our day, to do what we could and give tangible expression now to our other accomplishments by adventures into a still more enduring phase of life. We wished to see our dreams come true while we were, to the best of our ability, helping to carry on the work of creation.''

Today, the Booths' dreams live on as the Cranbrook Educational Community thrives as a premier educational and cultural resource for Bloomfield Hills and its surrounding communities.

The community's Institute of Science provides high-quality science education programs to children and families throughout southeast Michigan, while its Academy of art is the only graduate art program in the country devoted solely to fine arts education. Meanwhile, the Cranbrook Schools educate students in all grades while maintaining a reputation as one of the most challenging independent schools in the country.

The Cranbrook Educational Community has been a tremendous asset for 100 years to young and old alike in the pursuit of knowledge and enrichment. Cranbrook is an institution full of treasures and rich history that will allow it to continue to be a leader in education for the next 100 years to come.

It is institutions such as the Cranbrook Educational Community that make this Nation great. I extend to all members of the Cranbrook community my congratulations as they celebrate their 100th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Arthur Elliott, a dear friend and mentor of mine who passed away.

Art attended Michigan State University and fought for our country during World War II in the U.S. Army for 5 years. Following his education and service, he continued an expansive career in real estate development and building. Holding in high regard civic responsibilities, Art led by example, actively engaging himself in Michigan's political affairs.

Art served as the chairman of the Republican Party for both Oakland County and the State of Michigan. In 1960 and 1964 he represented Michigan Republicans as a delegate to the party's national conventions. Also, Art was a delegate at the Michigan State Constitutional Convention. In addition, he played an instrumental role in the election of Michigan Governor George W. Romney.

Art was an admired counselor and advisor. He shared his wisdom, good judgment, and advice with many, and his political instincts were unparalled. Still, his reputation transcended political lines because of the relationships he fostered with all individuals he knew and worked with.

An advocate of community service, Art served as president of the local chapter of the Rotary International, of which he was a lifelong member. He sat on the board of directors of Lake Superior State University and Trout Unlimited. He was also president of the committee that renovated Traverse City, Michigan's Park Place Hotel.

Art had a passion for traveling, fly fishing, photography and family life. As a husband, father, grandfather and friend he will be remembered for his integrity, dedication, and guidance.

Mr. Speaker, Art was a dear friend who had a strong regard for the individual and Republican ideals. He was admired and will be remembered by all those he knew.

Mr. Speaker, I know that you and my distinguished colleagues are aware that we usually appear before the House of Representatives to voice the concerns of our constituents on matters related to the legislative process and about particular issues associated with bills that warrant our attention. Yet, while debating the issues of the day, we often take for granted the hard work and dedication required to transform an idea into a bill, and a bill into a law. It is with these thoughts in mind that I am here today to pay tribute to Mr. Brian L. Potts, a dedicated staff member of the House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Military Construction.

Brian is departing the House Appropriations Committee at the end of this week to begin a new position with the Senate Appropriations Committee. His departure is a loss that will be felt for quite some time, yet it is good to know that we have another friend working in the Senate.

Brian came to the Committee from the Naval Audit Service as a Detailee in 1997 and joined the Committee staff in January 1999, and his contributions to the Committee are many. He has always been a focused and hard working individual who conducts himself with the utmost professionalism, and his strengths and accomplishments are many. As a Certified Public Accountant Brian has a keen ability to cut to the heart of a Department of Defense audit report and find savings that have offset the costs of the Military Construction bill. Simply put, Mr. Speaker, Brian is a wizard with spreadsheets and tables, and an invaluable support to the Subcommittee clerk.

During my tenure as the Chairman of the Military Construction Appropriations Subcommittee, I have found Brian to be a quietly powerful and effective staff member, possessing the unique ability to impart a sense of calmness to emotionally charged situations. One of his finest characteristics is his ability to treat others with kindness and respect. Brian views his job as a privilege and feels fortunate to contribute. These are rare qualities that enable him to effectively carry out his duties and have opened the door to new opportunities for him in the Senate.

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate Mr. Brian Potts on his career, his time spent doing invaluable work for the House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Military Construction, and to thank him for his outstanding service to this great legislative body. Finally, I ask for God's Blessings as Brian embarks on this phase of his career with the Senate Appropriations Committee, which is very lucky to have him.

Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct honor and privilege to simply say thank you to the 12th Sergeant Major of the Army, Jack L. Tilley. Thank you for your service to our country. Thank you for your sacrifice to this great nation, and thank you for your leadership as the highest ranking enlisted soldier in the Army.

Last week, Sergeant Major Tilley and his wife Gloria retired after 35 years in the Army. As Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Military Construction, I had the distinct pleasure of listening to Sergeant Major Tilley testify about quality of life issues for Army soldiers. I witnessed his concern for the men and women who serve our country. Let me assure you, Sergeant Major Tilley was a zealous and effective advocate for all soldiers. There were numerous occasions when his suggestions were incorporated into subcommittee policy. Believe me, Sergeant Major Tilley made a difference in the lives of soldiers and their families.

Effectively representing soldiers of the most powerful Army in the world is a challenging and evolving task. In his statement to the Subcommittee on Military Construction Appropriations on March 5, 2003, Sergeant Major Tilley stated, ``Almost three years ago my boss--Army Chief of Staff General Eric Shinseki--gave me a fairly simple charter. My mission is to get out among our soldiers and their families, understand their needs and issues, and become their biggest advocate and supporter as I represent them to him, the Secretary of the Army, and other senior leaders throughout our government.'' I can say without hesitation, Sergeant Major Tilley has accomplished his mission.

Over the course of his career, and most notably during his tenure as Sergeant Major of the Army, Jack Tilley's number one priority was Army soldiers. From the day he took the office of Sergeant Major of the Army in June 2000, until his retirement, Jack Tilley took his mission to heart. By his own admission, Sergeant Major Tilley logged hundreds of thousands of miles of travel visiting Army soldiers across the United States and forward deployed to countries all over the world. Sergeant Major Tilley's actions and dedication reveal that he is not afraid to get his boots muddy, in fact, he revels in it.

Sergeant Major Tilley's care for soldiers was tested many times during his tour of duty. As the first Sergeant Major of the Army appointed in the 21st Century, Jack Tilley has coached and mentored Army soldiers through many challenges that his predecessors could never have imagined. Sergeant Major Tilley was the Army's lead advocate for soldier issues as a new administration came into office, defense transformation became a reality, and our country, and the building he worked in, were viciously attacked on September 11th, ushering in a new type of war, the Global War on Terrorism.

Yet for all that can be said about Sergeant Major Tilley and his many accomplishments, he is nothing if not the embodiment of the modern American Soldier. Sergeant Major Tilley's concern and dedication for Army soldiers reflects what the President said to soldiers at Fort Hood Texas, and I quote:

``As members of our military, you serve this nation's ideals and you demonstrate those ideals in your code and in your character. As Commander-in-Chief, I have come to know the men and women who wear America's uniform. I have seen your love of country and your devotion to a cause larger than yourself. I have seen your discipline, your idealism, and your sense of honor. I know that every order I give can bring a cost. I also know without a doubt that every order I give will be carried out with skill and unselfish courage.''

The fact that the President of the United States notices and commends Army soldiers is testimony to the hard work and dedication of people like Sergeant Major Tilley. Unquestionably, the United States possesses the

most effective and professional fighting force that the world has ever seen. The quality and caliber of Army soldiers continues to grow, despite increasing operational tempo and tremendous expectations thrust on the dedicated men and women who serve our country.

Thank you Sergeant Major Tilley for your leadership and values that have made our Army the most professional and effective fighting force in the world. Thank you for your ability to inform the Appropriations Committee on quality of life issues that impact soldiers and their families, and God's blessings to you as you begin your next great journey upon your retirement from the Army.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and I rise today in support of this very important bill. I hope all of our colleagues on both sides will join in supporting the bill because there are so many provisions that are important to our economy and to our foreign policy.

Airlines relief has been mentioned, replacement for the 30-year Treasury benchmark to allow companies to make more accurate contributions to their pension plans is something that we desperately need, and it is great to see that is provided here.

One provision in particular that I want to highlight is the Permanent Normal Trade Relations for Armenia. I am a sponsor of H.R. 528, a bill to provide PNTR for Armenia, which, as already has been indicated, was introduced by myself and my cochair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone). The bill currently has 112 cosponsors, a broad bipartisan group which includes many members of the Committee on Ways and Means and the ranking member, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel). I want to commend the chairman, the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), and the subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. McCrery), for their work to ensure that this is included in the bill.

Since declaring its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Armenia has made some great strides in developing a stable Democratic and open society. This includes an adherence to the fundamental principle of free emigration. Armenia is found to be in full compliance with the Jackson-Vanik requirement regarding free emigration under title IV of the Trade Act of 1974. The time has now come for Armenia to be graduated from this annual review.

On December 10, 2002, the World Trade Organization voted to include Armenia in its membership. However, neither Armenia nor the United States will be able to receive the full benefit of Armenia's inclusion in the WTO unless Congress passes PNTR. Passage of H.R. 528 will not only enhance trade and investment between the U.S. and Armenia, but will also deepen the strong relationship between our two countries. Approximately 70 U.S.-owned firms currently do business in Armenia. In total, United States-Armenia bilateral trade for 2002 amounted to over $134 million.

And, again, in closing, I want to thank everyone for working together to bring this about, and I want to urge my colleagues again to support this important bill.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1829. Let me congratulate my colleague from Michigan for his hard work in bringing this bill to the floor of the House today.

This bill is about fundamental fairness. We are not voting today to eliminate the Federal Prison Industries. Rather, we seek to open up the federal procurement process to manufacturers who are capable of supplying quality products at reasonable prices, but who are by law prevented from doing so.

We have heard a great deal in recent months about the state of manufacturing in this country, and, it's true, our manufacturers are under severe pressure. As legislators, we should be looking for ways to open up markets for our small businessmen and women to sell their products, so that factories stay open and jobs stay here.

The fact of the matter is that the federal government is a market unto itself. But for the more than 300 products that the FPI is the only entity allowed to sell to the federal government, it is a market that is closed to our blue collar workers. This is simply not right.

It's time to end this unfair monopoly. Let's level the playing field for government contracts for our manufactures here at home. We'll save the government money, save some jobs, and restore some sanity to this part of the federal procurement process.

The FPI shouldn't be afraid of a little competition. Our manufacturers are not.

I encourage all my colleagues to support H.R. 1829.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on the conference report to accompany H.R. 2559, and that I may include tabular and extraneous material.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 429, I call up the conference report on the bill (H.R. 2559) making appropriations for military construction, family housing, and base realignment and closure for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2004, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to present to the House the conference report on H.R. 2559, the fiscal year 2004 military construction appropriations conference report. This legislation provides funds for all types of construction projects on military installations here in the United States and abroad. These projects include family housing, barracks, training ranges, runways, aircraft hangars and fitness facilities.

I would in particular like to thank my ranking member, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Edwards), for all the great work that he has worked with me on, all the great activity. I also wanted to thank all members of the committee. Let me thank, in addition, the committee staff, including, and I am going to run down the list, Valerie Baldwin, Brian Potts, Kim Reath, Mary Arnold, Tom Forhan, John Conger, Jeff Onizuk and Lieutenant Commander Scott Gray for their support in producing this report. I would also like to sincerely thank Chairman Young and the chief clerk Jim Dyer for their assistance in bringing this negotiation with the other body to a close. Further, I would like to acknowledge the advice and counsel provided by the House Committee on Armed Services. The bill is the culmination of a joint effort with subcommittee chairman Hefley and full committee chairman Hunter.

The conference report today totals some $9.316 billion which complies with the 302(b) allocation for budget authority and outlays. This recommendation is $199 million more than the President's request. These additional funds address critical infrastructure and quality-of-life requirements above and beyond that request. Excluding funds provided for the global war on terrorism and the Iraq/Afghanistan supplementals, the conference report is nearly $1.4 billion, or nearly 13 percent below fiscal year 2003 enacted levels. This year there were significant differences between the House's military construction bill and that of the other body. While we sought to preserve funding for military construction in Europe and Korea and to support the quality of life and operational readiness of our forces abroad, the other body chose to significantly reduce overseas funding to support projects here in the United States.

I am pleased to inform my colleagues that this conference report strikes a balance between both these approaches. We preserve the most critical overseas requirements for the services, but brought the balance of the funding for other overseas projects back to the United States to fund critical infrastructure here. While the House aggressively supported the President's request and the priorities of the combatant commanders in this conference report, we share the concern of the other body about funding overseas projects in light of the ongoing review of our overseas footprint. The review currently being conducted by the Department of Defense will determine our long- term overseas basing strategy and will thus help us set funding requirements to support our forces abroad. It will be absolutely essential for both military construction subcommittees to have the completed plan prior to moving forward with the military construction appropriation for fiscal year 2005. We look forward to receiving this plan in the very near future.

Though this conference report is below the fiscal year 2003 enacted levels, we are fully supporting the military's mission critical infrastructure needs and quality-of-life initiatives. We are able to do so in large part because we are getting far more ``bang for the buck'' through innovative programs such as the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, barracks privatization and utilities privatization. These programs are enabling the services to rapidly replace family housing and infrastructure at a cost that is dramatically lower than what we could ever have afforded through traditional military construction appropriations. Our motto is to let the military do what they do best, which is defending America.

In short, we are doing it smarter, not harder, and the beneficiaries are single soldiers, military families, men and women serving our country around the world and the U.S. taxpayers. We have and will continue to support sweeping quality of life improvements for those in the military.

This conference report was forged through the compromise of both bodies of this Congress. This report directly supports the men and women in uniform, fully funds projects vital to our national security, provides critical infrastructure support to ongoing operations worldwide, and fully funds our efforts to improve the quality of life of our military personnel and their families. It is a fair report. I encourage my colleagues to support it.

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Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), chairman of the committee. I just want to say again without Chairman Young's support, we may still be slogging it out, but frankly rising to the occasion as he will and has done numerous times, he helped bring this thing to a closure.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chairman, I rise to oppose this amendment.

I want to keep my remarks brief, because we have been down this road before, but there is really no rational reason to support this amendment. The competition to supply the main propulsion diesel engines for the Coast Guard's Integrated Deepwater System is over. It was a fair and open competition that was won by Detroit Diesel of Michigan. It is history. Unfortunately, and we should name the other competitor that the author of the amendment brings up, it is Fairbanks Morse of Wisconsin, it is a good company, but they simply have not accepted the results of that competition.

For the second time in a few months, I have come to the floor to oppose an amendment, this particular amendment or one designed very similarly. It does nothing more than reverse the outcome of the competition and give Fairbanks Morse an unfair competitive advantage.

Now, these are both very good American companies that employ thousands of Americans, thousands of Americans, both of them. However, in this case, the proposal offered by Detroit Diesel was selected because the company offered a low-cost, high-performance, low-risk solution that was technically superior. The Coast Guard did not make this decision lightly, and it is my understanding that they oppose the amendment as well. It is time to accept the results of that competition.

This is not about protecting American manufacturers, this is about doing an end run around the procurement process. I encourage all my colleagues to oppose this amendment, to ensure that open and fair competition for government contracts are respected and maintained.

I yield to the gentleman from Virginia.

Madam Chairman, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman for making those comments.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment, and I thank the gentleman from Arizona (Chairman Kolbe) for yielding me this time.

Iraq is in the central front in the war on terrorism. We are not going to get a second chance at doing this right. We face some strong challenges, so we have to be determined and remain focused on establishing a new Iraq.

I might say, incidentally, that in my district back in Michigan, I have some 35,000 Iraqis who have immigrated to America, and they have become solid citizens. They communicate, obviously, very well with the community; and, in fact, they have improved the quality of life in that community. Many are entrepreneurs, and I think they have been a tremendous addition to my own district.

The same thing would be true, I believe, in Iraq. As we work to stabilize this country and strengthen a new Iraqi government, we cannot afford to make our job any harder than it already is.

Yesterday's Washington Post editorial nails the point: ``To make a loan in these circumstances is like swimming out to a drowning man and handing him a 10-pound weight.''

If we turn our assistance into loans, we will be cutting our legs out from under ourselves. Our mission in Iraq is critical to the security of our country, and we cannot afford to undermine ourselves.

Right now the administration is working hard to get foreign governments to contribute to the rebuilding of Iraq. Turning our assistance into loans turns the upcoming donors conference into a loaners conference. We simply cannot afford to make this mistake.

Mr. Chairman, I urge all Members to vote against this unwise amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentlewoman's concern about this provision. But I must urge everybody in this Chamber to vote against this amendment. This amendment causes very serious strategic consequences for our military personnel in the field fighting the war on terrorism.

The war on terrorism is not confined to just one area. It could be most anywhere. In essence, the Sanchez amendment prohibits our troops from constructing strategically important projects necessary to fight the war on terrorism until Congress agreed that they were necessary. This level of micromanagement is inappropriate, especially in wartime conditions, when real-time decisions must be made quickly and troops cannot wait for the committee in Congress to agree. Our troops in the field need this flexibility.

Though the amendment excludes Iraq from its effects, it precludes construction projects in Afghanistan and in other areas, that might become part of the global war on terrorism, from moving forward expeditiously. This level of micromanagement is especially awkward if the war on terrorism expands in an unexpected fashion.

In addition, the bill already includes a requirement that DOD notify the Congress four times a year about any projects constructed under this limited authority. I can assure my colleagues in the Chamber that my subcommittee, the MILCON committee, the Subcommittee on Defense, the House Committee on Armed Services will watch very carefully in a very careful manner how DOD uses this authority. And like

the gentlewoman points out, authorizing military construction projects should not be bypassed without extremely good reasons. However, in this case I believe the oversight I have just mentioned gives the oversight over this provision included in the bill to be sufficient to ensure that DOD does not misuse its authority.

I urge Members to vote against the Sanchez amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I just wanted to say in response to the gentlewoman's comments, I can assure the gentlewoman that we know about every penny that is spent in the MILCON bill.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this supplemental appropriations bill and urge all my colleagues to support it.

I want to commend the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe), the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), obviously, we could go on commending a great number of people, but everybody's contributed to this bill, and I think it shows in that while we ensure the urgent priorities like drinking water, enhanced security and electrical infrastructure, these are all funded, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), the chairman, did look over this process, oversighted it, and he eliminated projects from the President's request that were simply not necessary in this bill, removing a total of almost $2 billion. The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) does not get credit sometimes for the work he does, but I am very pleased to give him credit here this evening.

As chairman of the Subcommittee on Military Construction, I do want to make my colleagues aware that a portion of this bill falls under my subcommittee's jurisdiction. We have provided about $400 million to support military construction needs for Iraq and Afghanistan. Let me turn now to the need to support the supplemental as it is written.

A little over 2 years ago, this country was attacked by terrorists whose organizations had received safe harbor from tyrants. In the wake of those attacks, we made it a goal of this country to defeat the terrorists who are actively seeking to kill Americans so that our citizens could be safe and secure at home and abroad.

In Afghanistan, we removed from power a regime that had given safe haven to al Qaeda, and we routed the terrorist organization from its hiding places. The people of Kabul cheered its liberators, and that country is headed in the right direction, though much work still needs to be done.

In Iraq, we removed a danger to an entire region when we defeated the regime of Saddam Hussein, a regime that denied the international community time and time again. We no longer have the prospect of a country being led by an individual who had invaded two neighbors, used chemical and biological weapons on his own people, ran a political prison for children, harbored terrorists, rewarded the families of suicide bombers and pursued weapons of mass destruction when the chance arose. Again, the people cheered its liberators.

These are important steps in the war on terrorism. The United States and the world is safer because of our actions. We have not been left holding the bag, as some have suggested. We are there because as a world's leader, we exercised our leadership and took action against a menace that was Saddam Hussein's regime. We have nothing to apologize for.

Now, we face the harder part, the thankless part. Having made the world safer, in this moment we must ensure that it is safer in the future. We do not want these two countries to become terrorist havens again. That is why we must go about the task of rebuilding two countries torn down by decades of war and tyranny.

There is no folly in pursuing this course. There is great folly, however, in abandoning it before it is finished. It is not going to be easy, but it is going to get done, and that is why we are here today.

This supplemental is critical to supporting our troops and our mission. We all accept the responsibility to provide our soldiers with the weapons and equipment they need to secure Iraq, but we must also accept the responsibility to aid the new government of Iraq without placing an undue burden on it. Turning reconstruction funds included in this bill into loans does not serve our mission.

I encourage my colleagues to continue to ask those tough questions about the efforts in Iraq. That is our job, but let us stand up for our soldiers and our mission by passing this supplemental today.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the motion to go to conference on H.R. 2658, and that I may include tabular and extraneous material.